Adjustable retainer



March 18, 1924. 1,487,470 H. E. PHlLlPS ADJUSTABLE RETAINER Filed April 26. 1923 Lulu iull 11 ll 1 IE. Ian )2 l2: lirinli. 1

Patented id, 3335924.

OFFICE.

HARRY E. PHILIPS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TG BARRON G. COLLIER, INCOR- TORATED, A. CORPORATION 05 NEW YORK.

ADJUSTABLE RETAINER.

Application ales .apru as, 1923. Serial No. 684,871.

T all whom it may, concern Be it known that l, HARRY E. Pr-rimrs, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Retainers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates 'to improvements in devices for retaining in position advertising cards such as are used in street car advertis ing and the like.

Such advertising cards are usually mounted in a curved portion of the car above the windows and where the side wall merges with the ceiling of the car. Upper and lower strips of metal or woodspaced slightly less than the width of the cards extend the length of the car. The cards are then placed with their edges behind the strips and some retaining means is provided for holding them in position, and for making them conform to the curvature of the car wall. In the past this retaining means has been constituted of a simple flat strip of sheet spring metal out to a length such that its edges would just fit under the car strips and formed with an almost circular curvature so that, as its curve is flattened out to fit the curvature of the car, the elasticity of the 80 metal will hold the card snugly in, and in conformity with, the curve of the car.

Such strips have the disadvantage that they must be cut to the exact length of'that arc of the curve of the car between the limits defined by the car strips. If they are cut slightly too long they cannot conform to the cars curvature and if they are out too short they will either fail to reach behind the car strips or there will be sufficient play to permit them to work to one side or the other and thus to uncover the card edges or to completely work out from behind the car strips.

Due to the great number of types of cars and to the errors which may be made in.

such as will prevent my retaining means from assuming any other attitude than that of a right angle to the car strip.

Other objects will appear in the accompanying specification and claims and will be disclosed in the drawings in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of my device in operation;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the assembled adjusting mechanism of my device;

- Figure 4 is a central section in side elevation of my assembled adjusting mechanism;

Figure 5 is a central section in side elevation of my adjustment plate.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig, 7 is a plan view of the adjustment stud plate 8;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 7.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings my device will be seen to be comprised as follows: A thin strip of spring steel 1 forms the greater portion of the length of my retaining means. An adjustment plate 2, preferably stamped out of sheet metal, has a fiat upper surface in which there are stamped a series of transversely extending adjustment slots 3. The lateral edges of this plate for a major portion of its lengthare crimped over as shown at a to provide longitudinally extending grooves in which the steel strip 1 is adapted to slide with a smooth fit.

Adjustment plate 2 is further provided with an extended portion 5 bent first up wardly at right angles to the main portion of the plate, then reversed upon itself at 6 and again bent at right angles to form a tip 7 in the same plane as the main portion of the plate. This tip 7 is adapted to fit under the car strip while the forward wall of the bent portion 5 is adapted to abut the car strip.

An adjustment stud plate 8, also'preferably stamped out of sheet metal, is provided. It will be noted that a portion of this plate is bent and reversed upon itself to form a stud 9 adapted to fit into slots 3, and that it is again bent back almost upon itself at 10. The angle between those portions of the plate at 11 and 12 is very acute and this portion of the plate is adapted to receive and, by the inherent elasticity of the metal forming the angle. to hold the end of the strip 1.

The assembly and adjustment of my device will now be described. The plate 8 is first placed with its stud 9 in the proper one of the slots in plate 2, for the adjustment desired. The strip 1 is then inserted in the end of the grooves 4 of plate 2 and slid forward over the plate 8 until it abuts this plate at 10.

The inherent elasticity of the metal leaves 11 and 12 tends to hold the strip 1 in position. The fact, however, that strip 1 has a fairly snug fit with the groove 1 and that in assembly it has been made to fit much more snugly by reason of the fact that the plate 8 is now between the plate 2 and the strip 1 assures a resilient and yet secure means of holding the strip in position. The strip, of course, holds the adjustment stud plate 8 in position when assembled.

lVhen the strip is adjusted to its proper length the card 13 is placed in behind the edges of the car strips 1 1 and 15 and the spring strip put in place, their natural resistance causing the cardto conform to thecurvature of the car 16 and to remain tightly held in position.

Two adjustment devices may be used, one at each end of the clip if desired. If this is done the forward walls 5' of extensions 5 will each abut the edge of a car strip and prevent the spring strip from assuming any attitude other than the angle to the two car strips. If but one adjustment device is used, the plain end of the spring strip will pass well under the car strip and abut it at its juncture to the car. The result will be the same.

I have disclosed this adjusting device as particularly applicable to the purpose for which it was originally intended, that of holding advertising cards in position. It is obvious without departing from the spirit of my invention that my device may be used for many other purposes in which it is desired to adjust the length of the metal strip as described. For instance, by reversing the adjusting means and having the flange itself extend outwardly rather than inwardly of the curved one that the device may be readily adapted to hose clamps, or the like by making suitable perforations in the flange and providing a screw or some other means for fixedly rather than resiliently holding the stud plate 8 to themetal strip 1. i

I claim 1. In a retaining device for card frames,

in combination, a spring strip, an adjus'tment plate adapted to receive one end of said spring strip, and means cooperating with said adjustment plate to adjust the effective length of said spring strip, said means having positive locking engagement with said adjusting plate when in operative position.

2. In a retaining device for card frames, in combination, a spring strip, an adjustment plate having crimped over edges to provide a groove in which said spring strip isadapted to fit, a plurality of perforations in said adjustment plate, and an adjustment stud plate having means adapted to engage any one of said perforations to limit the effective length of said spring strip, said adjustment stud plate being further provided with means abutting the end of said spring strip.

3. In a retaining device for card frames, in combination, a spring strip, an adjust ment plate having crimped over edges to provide a groove in which said spring strip is adapted to fit, a plurality of perforations in said adjustment plate, an adjustment stud plate having means adapted to engage any one of said perforations to limit the effective length of said spring strip, said adjustment stud plate being held in position by said spring strip.

i. In a retaining device for card frames, in combination, a spring strip, an adjustment plate having crimped over edges to provide a groove in which said spring strip is adapted to fit, a plurality of slots in said adjustn'ient plate, and an adjustment stud plate having a stud adapted to engage any one of said slots to limit the eflective length of said spring strip.

5. In a retaining device for card frames, in combination, a spring strip, an adjustment plate adapted to receive one end of said spring strip, and means cooperating with said adjustment plate to adjust the effective length of said spring strip, said adjustment plate having an upstanding flange adapted to abut the card frame.

6. In a retaining device for card frames, in combination, a spring strip, an adjustment plate having crimped over edges to provide a groove in which said spring strip is adapted to fit, a plurality of slots in said adjustment plate, and an adjustment stud plate having a stud adapted to engage any one of said slots to limit the effectivelength of said spring strip, said adjustment plate having an upstanding flange adapted to abut the card frame.

In testimony whereofI affix my signature.

HARRY E. PHILIPS. 

